Famicom Disk System: The More You Play It, the More You'll Want to Play [Disk 2]

Nintendo Dream is a popular Japanese gaming magazine that interviews developers from time to time. When the Famicom Disk System Selection (the Japanese equivalent of the NES Classic Series) was released, they were able to interview some of the developers at Nintendo who were instrumental in the production of games for this system. The original interview appeared in two parts in Vol. 118 and Vol. 119, released in September 2004. You can read the MDb's translation of the first part of the interview, regarding Metroid and Kid Icarushere. The second volume mainly concerns Famicom Tantei Club, the detective series released only in Japan for the Famicom Disk System and written by Yoshio Sakamoto, the creator of Metroid. It also has some closing thoughts on Metroid, particularly regarding the never-produced Metroid movie. This interview was scanned and provided to the MDb courtesy of VGMStudios. The interview was translated by CapCom. Please contact us before reproducing this translation.

NOTE: The title of this interview is the advertising slogan used for the Famicom Disk System. It plays at the end of each commercial. Thanks to Glitterberri for helping translate the title!

Famicom Tantei Club: The Missing Heir and The Girl who Stands Behind

Famicom Tantei Club Cursed?

Bizarre phenomena from 16 years ago revealed!

On August 10, the Disk System Selection* was released. In this issue, we present an interview with the games’ creators asking about four of the ten titles in the series. The last issue mainly concerned stories on the development of Metroid and Kid Icarus, but this time we pressed them for secrets about the development of Famicom Tantei Club. Is this a ghost story suitable for reading on a midsummer’s night? Many enjoyable stories leap from the page! Please read with care.

*The Disk System Selection is a series of games from the Famicom Disk System that were re-released on the Gameboy Advance in Japan. They are the equivalent of the NES Classic series, though many games remained exclusive to Japan.

Readers beware!

Nintendo's R&D1 Famicom Disk System Development Team (1986-1992)

Yoshio Sakamoto

Nintendo R&D* HQ, R&D Department Section Manager
Born: July 23, 1959
Hometown: Nara. Blood Type: O
Design Degree, Osaka University of Arts
Joined Nintendo in 1982
Began design work with Game & Watch, and developed works such as the Metroid series, Famicom Tantei Club, For the Frog the Bell Tolls, and Card Hero. Hobbies include reading, music appreciation, and video editing (son's video clips).

*Defunct; now the Special Planning & Development Division.

Toru Osawa

Nintendo R&D HQ, R&D Department Assistant Manager
Born: December 27, 1962
Hometown: Kyoto
Blood Type: A
Design Degree, Kyoto Seika University*
Joined Nintendo in 1985
Debut work: Myth of Light: Palutena's Mirror (Kid Icarus). Works include Famicom Tantei Club, For the Frog the Bell Tolls, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and many others. Recently in the middle of an explosion of work for an external design company. Hobbies include watching soccer matches and music appreciation.

*Kyoto Seika University is a prestigious university for animators, manga artists, and game developers.

Hiroji Kiyotake

Nintendo R&D Headquarters, R&D Department Assistant Manager
Born: December 21, 1960
Hometown: Kagoshima Prefecture
Blood Type: A
Design Degree, Kyoto Seika University
Joined Nintendo in 1983. Took part in the development of the original Metroid; creator of Wario in Super Mario Land: Six Golden Coins. Since then, this sports-minded designer has been involved with almost all games in which Wario appears. Hobbies include soccer.

Kenji Yamamoto

Nintendo R&D Headquarters, R&D Department Assistant Manager
Born: April 25, 1964
Hometown: Mie Prefecture.
Blood Type: B
Music Degree, Osaka University of Arts*
Joined Nintendo in 1987
Produced music for such works as Famicom Wars, Famicom Tantei Club 2, Super Metroid, and Metroid Prime. Currently busy finishing up the score to Metroid Prime 2. Hobbies include collecting guitars.

*Koji Kondo also graduated from Osaka University of Arts with a degree in music.